The Rich Protector's Pearl
by fictionette
Summary: Her homeland was beautiful; a place teeming with life and love of the arts and the earth. But daddy's little pearl is far away from home now and without her rich protector. How will she survive, stripped of everything she loves? Eventual Gwaine/OC
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: (Crawls out from under the rock she'd been hiding under) PLEASE DON'T HURT ME! I know that I haven't updated the Sherlock Holmes story in months but, as silly as silly as it sounds, I ran out of ideas. I mean, I had it all planned out and everything and then I went back to school and forgot it all. That'll teach me to write everything down...Plus when I look back on what I wrote, as much as I like the idea, the actual quality of my writing was terrible. I promise I'll get around to re-writing it at some point when I get all my ideas back. Pinky promise! But in the meantime, enjoy this Merlin story that popped into my head when I was watching the season finale! Enjoy! Read and review please!**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing apart from my original characters and some other stuff that you'll find out about later on.**

Prologue:

The girl urged the horse on faster, feeling the strong limbs move beneath her. She glanced behind her for a second to see the fading faces of her pursuers. But she would not allow herself or her horse to rest; she couldn't afford to be lax now. The horse's breathing grew shallow and she knew that if she wasn't careful she may very well work her horse to death. It panted and groaned but it's tempo never slowed; it didn't want to displease it's mistress. Another glance behind her and she could no longer see the bandits. Satisfied that she'd lost them, she slowed her horse to a stop. The pair wheezed, adrenaline still shooting through their bodies. Taking slow breaths, the girl reached down and stroked the mane of her horse, whispering thanks into it's ear.

Once their breath had been regained, the girl searched with frenzied eyes. She couldn't see him anywhere. Dread pooled in her stomach, so strong a feeling she felt ill. She called his name. There was no reply. Tears began to form in the corner of her eyes. She'd lost him. Despair took over and she rested her head against her horse's neck and wept.

The trees behind her rustled. Immediately she sat straight and strained her ears, her hands wrapped tightly around the reins. The sound seemed to come from every direction. She was unsure whether to look and almost lost her strength and fled. But then she saw it. The white flanks of a familiar horse and mauve tunic of a familiar man. She almost cried again, this time of relief. She turned her horse and met the man in the middle. As soon as she was close enough, she threw her arms around him and cried into his shoulder. The man, clearly fatigued, still found the breath to chuckle and embed his hand into her hair. They stayed like that for a little while longer, each enjoying the security of being in each other's arms again.

Finally, the girl wiped her tears and drew away. "Do you think we lost them?" She chocked on the last few words, both from the tears she had just cried and how exhausted she still felt.

The man nodded. "I think so." He said in reply, checking over his shoulders as if to make sure that they had.

The girl nodded in return and attempted a smile.

"Oh my dear girl." He chuckled, pulling her into his arms once more.

She shook uncontrollably, fighting back the urge to cry again. She was just so glad that he was alive. As much as she knew that he was more than a competent fighter, he was growing old now and his leg wouldn't allow too much strenuous activity. She wouldn't risk his life like that again.

The two horses had been nuzzling each other affectionately since their reunion, greeting each other in such a manner similar to their companions. The girl glanced at them and laughed.

"They seem to have missed each other." She stated with a small smile.

The man nodded with a smile of his own, but said nothing.

The sudden sound of rushing hooves interrupted their blissful silence. They hadn't completely lost them at all. One appeared by the girl's side as if by magic and another threw a rope around the man. The girl's horse spooked and threw her off. She hit the soft earth on her right leg and felt it crack beneath her. She screamed as the pain shot through the rest of her body, travelling down every tendon. She thought she heard the man yell her name but she couldn't be sure; the pain seemed to have blocked her from reality. Colourful spots danced before her eyes and with each passing second her vision grew blacker. She blinked hard, to rid herself of the tears in her eyes and to help correct her vision. But she couldn't hold on; her grip on reality was loosening. Eventually, she gave up and just succumbed to the inviting darkness that plagued her.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Merry Christmas everyone! I hope you enjoy your little Christmas present because I'm afraid that from now on updates will be restricted to once a week. I can't even tell you a specific day I'm that busy. Just check in every now and again and a new chapter should crop up once in a while. Enjoy and read and review please!**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing apart from the obvious.  
**

Chapter 1

"Will she be alright?" A young voice.

"I imagine so. She seems like a strong girl." This one was different; much older.

"Really strange hair. When was the last time you saw someone with hair that colour?" The younger voice again. She didn't know whether to feel insulted or not. Even if she did she wouldn't know how to vocalise these thoughts as her entire body, including eyes and tongue, felt heavier than lead.

"I admit, it has been many years since I've seen hair of that particular shade." He knew of the Ceylonians? Maybe he could help her. She tried in vain to lift any part of her body but her mind felt sluggish and the effort drained her, prompting her into sleep again.

The next time she regained consciousness, she felt much stronger. She didn't know what the two men had done to her but it had worked. This time, her eyes opened without too much effort on her part. Taking care not to move too much, she took note of the areas of her body that were still experiencing pain. Her left arm felt quite sore and she almost daren't look at her right leg. Apart from that, she just felt generally sore, probably from numerous bruises spread across her body. With her right arm, she placed the pal of her hand firmly on the bed she was laid in and pulled herself into a sitting position. She winced and groaned as she tried to get comfortable, drawing the attention of the elderly man stood nearby.

"Careful dear." He warned her, rushing to her side and helping her sit. Once this had been achieved he sat on a chair by her side. "Can you tell me your name?"

It was a simple enough question and she opened her mouth in preparation to answer before she realised that she didn't know the answer. This panicked her and she racked her brain for a few more moments in desperation to find an answer. Slowly, the memories seemed to return to her and she remembered the last time she was conscious. Bitter tears gathered in her eyes but she bit them back in order to answer the man's question.

"Mairead." She managed to choke out.

The older man took pity on her and presented her with a flask of amber liquid for her to drink. For a moment, she stared at it suspiciously. As nice a man he seemed, you could never be sure of anyone nowadays.

He seemed almost amused by this. "It's only a potion to help with the pain." He stated, prompting her to finally drink the mixture. She grimaced; the potion was warm and slid down her throat unpleasantly in one thick mass.

"My name is Gaius," He said softly. "Could you tell me what happened to you?"

His question seemed innocent enough until she remembered what kingdom she was crossing before the attack.

"Where am I?" She asked.

"You are in the castle of Camelot, under the care of King Uther." He replied with a warm smile.

It was as she feared. She felt ill again as that familiar feeling of panic settled in. Uther had a ruthless reputation for his stubborn nature and zero tolerance. If she was to stay here for any length of time (which she heavily suspected from the mangled sight of her leg), she would have to watch her words. She managed to draw herself out of her thoughts long enough to reply to his original question.

"We were travelling to Elthiria. He had to go there on business to speak with the dignitaries there. I insisted on coming. He's not as strong as he used to be." She said tearfully. "We were ambushed. They seemed to appear out of nowhere as if…as if…"

"By magic?" He supplied the words for her, with an almost knowing glint in her eyes.

"Yes…" She replied uneasily. Did he know? He couldn't know, could he? Mairead tried to settle her thoughts into rational ones and justified that he was acting in this way because he was unsettled by thought of other sorcerers being so close to Camelot. This was good, it may garner sympathy from the King if he saw her as a victim of that which he hated most.

Gaius decided it best not ask her any more questions as of yet. She seemed to be in such a delicate state as it was. He sighed and rose to his feet. "Well," He began, rubbing his hands together. "Merlin should be back soon, you'll be able to meet him."

"Merlin?" She questioned. This must have been the other voice she had heard; the younger one.

"Yes he should be finishing up with his duties from the Prince."

Mairead nodded and rested her head against the wall, watching Gaius bustle about cutting and preparing various herbs.

Not long after, the door flew open to reveal a young man around her own age covered from head to toe in what looked to be horse manure. The sight made her smile and she had to bite her lip in order to keep from laughing. Then, the man glared at her which only served to make her even more amused.

Gaius also seemed to have difficulty restraining his laughter. "Should I ask what you've been up to today?"

The young man tapped his chin, as if in deep thought, and then said, as if coming to a great revelation: "No."

She couldn't help it anymore; Mairead burst into giggles. Agony coursed down her limbs but she was far too entertained to care.

"I see that our guest has woken up." The brown haired boy by commented.

Gaius nodded and beckoned him over to her bedside. "Merlin this is Mairead." He said and gave him an unusual look that she couldn't decipher. Nevertheless, Merlin seemed to understand and nodded.

"I'd shake your hand but…um…" He trailed off, displaying his dirt covered hands and glancing uncomfortably at her left arm that every now and again seemed to throb.

She waved her good arm in a sign of dismissal. "It's fine." She said with a small giggle.

Merlin laughed too and came to sit next to her. "Is the new horse in the stables yours?" He asked, accepting a cloth from Gaius to wipe his hands with.

Her smile faded and her eyes widened. How on Earth could she have forgotten about her? "Aideen! Is she alright?" She prayed that she was. Aideen had been her companion for years and she couldn't bare to think of her in pain.

Merlin blinked, surprised by her sudden outburst. "Yeah, she's fine. They found her with you."

Mairead let out a breath she didn't know she was holding, relieved that even if she was injured, Aideen was fine. And then another thought struck her and she was almost reluctant to ask. "What about my father?" There was no answer as Merlin and Gaius glanced at each other in confusion. "My father, Eamon, tall man, dark hair and blue eyes with a slight limp?" She asked desperately.

Merlin glanced at Gaius hopelessly who stepped forward and laid a hand on her shoulder.

"I'm sorry, we never found anyone but you."

Sobs racked Mairead's body and leaned against Melrin's chest for support. After a few moments, his arms wrapped around her and began to rub soothing circles on her back whilst also trying to keep enough distance between so that he didn't dirty her dress. But Mairead didn't care and pulled him closer. Everything else was silent as she wept until eventually Merlin and Gaius managed to calm her into a deep sleep.

She woke to the arguing voices of Merlin and Gaius.

"He wants to see her!"

"She is not in a stable condition to be moved!"

"I know but do you want to tell him that?"

"No, but you're going to."

"What? Why?"

"Just tell him that if he wants to see her he's going to have to come and see her himself."

"But you know him better! He'll listen to you!"

Mairead finally decided she'd had enough and groaned extra loudly so that she could not fail to gain their attention.

They both looked at her with slightly guilty looks on their faces.

She raised an eyebrow. "Have you two finished yet."

Gaius coughed and took a step forward to address her. "King Uther would like an audience with you." He said simply.

All of the blood drained from Mairead's face and she could have sworn that the temperature in the room had dropped. She wasn't ready to see him yet, she hadn't prepared her story. Gaius continued to ramble on to Merlin until he eventually persuaded him to leave with a message for Uther, giving Mairead time to think. She would tell the truth as much as she was able to as she felt uncomfortable lying to anyone, especially since this person was the one who would decide her residency in Camelot. Inevitably, however, parts of the story had to be fabricated in order to save her from the short death that would ensue if he ever knew.

Soon after, Merlin returned with an irritated looking man in a crown and a young blonde man. Prince Arthur, the heir to the throne of the Camelot.

"So you are the girl my son found in the woods?" He asked. There was a blunt edge to his words that underlined how aggravated he was.

Quickly, she glanced at the prince. So he was the one who brought her back here? She nodded, both in answer to the King's question and to acknowledge her gratefulness to Arthur whose eyes she kept locked on. "Yes, you're majesty."

"And who, exactly are you?" Her nostrils flared, disliking the man even more after meeting him in person. But she kept her kind façade in place and sat as straight as her body would allow with her head held high in the air.

"I am Lady Mairead of Theredan."


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Happy New Year everyone! I hope that 2011 is even better than 2010 was! Thank you for all the hits guys, I have even more than I did for my Sherlock Holmes story. And thank you to iloveashandquinn for reviewing every chapter and thank you to the six people who have story alerted and the one person who has even favourited my story after only two chapters. The only thing that could make it better was if all these people reading the story could review. Sure I would love it if I recieved detailed criticism but even an "Update soon!" or "I enjoyed this chapter!" would do. I'm only asking because I would like to know what is good and bad about the story so that I can improve as a writer. I can't review if I don't know what people like and don't like it. But I'm still very grateful to all you people. Okay, Im done rambling now so here's chapter 3! Hope you enjoy and please read and review!**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing apart from the obvious.  
**

Chapter 2:

There was silence for a while as the four men seemed to digest this newly divulged information. King Uther, was of course, the first to recover and said indignantly:

"And what proof do you have that what you say is true?"

Mairead paused as she realised that she hadn't really thought that far ahead. She berated herself for being less prepared as she should have realised that of course he wasn't just going to take her word for it. The only proof she had would condemn her to the chopping block unless she could change it without him knowing. It would be risky and if she failed then she would die anyways. But the arrogant look on Uther's face as he thought he had succeeded was enough to convince her that the risk was worth it. Reaching into the hidden pocket of her dress she withdrew a document that would prove that she was of noble blood. She offered the letter to Uther by stretching her body forward. She gasped, as if the movement had caused her great pain, and closed her eyes for a fraction of a second. Gaius hovered over her in case she needed assistance but she smiled and assured him that she was fine. Offering the letter to Uther once more, she waited with baited breath as he read the letter. She could only hope that it had worked.

Eventually, Uther looked up from the letter and smiled at her. Mairead smiled back, though hers was one of relief. It had worked and therefore forestalled her appointment with the executioner.

"Apologies my lady." Uther said with a respectful bow of his head. Then, he turned to Gaius. "At the nearest opportunity she is to be moved to one of our guest rooms. We must make sure that the lady is comfortable."

She smiled back at him and relaxed back into her bed. The king and prince left with another small bow and so she was left in the shocked company of Gaius and Merlin.

"A lady?" Gaius inquired with a slightly raised eyebrow.

Mairead nodded. "Lady Mairead Carthach of Theradan at your service." She said with a regal tone though she matched it with a playful grin.

Merlin simply nodded and hummed his assent, though there was a look in his eyes that Mairead recognised. A look of suspicion as he looked her over. But he said nothing and merely continued his duties as normal. However, Mairead was not fooled. He knew something and from now on Mairead was going to have to be careful with her actions around him if she wasn't going to be caught.

They moved her to a guest room the next day. Though Gaius was not at all happy with any unnecessary movement, he allowed Arthur to carry her to her new abode. It was a beautiful room, full of artwork and tasteful décor. Mairead found it a shame that she could not yet enjoy it to its fullest, confined to the bed as she was. She also hardly received any visitors. Gaius was always busy with his work, Merlin was too busy being bullied by Arthur and Arthur was too busy bullying Merlin, amongst other things of course.

Later that day however, her prayers had been answered and a servant girl entered with a tray stacked full of food. The girl curtseyed before her and inquired whether she would like to eat now or if she would prefer her to leave the tray on her bedside table. She gazed incredulously at the silver plate; there was enough food there to feed an army.

"I couldn't possibly eat all of that in one sitting." She commented and then glanced at the girl. "Would you like some?"

The girl seemed surprised. She probably wasn't used to such kindness, especially under Uther's roof.

"No thank you my lady." She declined politefully, followed by another curtsey.

"Well if you're sure. But if you ever feel peckish I can guarantee that there will always be leftovers here." She grinned, hoping that humour would loosen the girl up.

She half-succeeded as the girl smiled at her and placed the tray on her bedside table. Mairead watched her do this and was amused when she continued to stand by her side, waiting to be dismissed.

"What is your name?" Mairead asked.

"Guinevere." The girl replied.

"Well thank you Guinevere." And still the girl continued to stand there. "You may leave whenever you wish."

Guinevere blushed as Mairead grinned at her, probably only now realising that she had been playing with her. The girl left almost hastily, prompting Mairead to chuckle under her breath.

Not hungry enough at the moment to even contemplate eating the feast that was set out before her, she continued to lay there. Although not hungry, however, she did find that she was quite thirsty and glanced over to the goblet on her bedside table. Just as she was about to reach for it, she realised that it was on the wrong side for her injured arm. She tried reaching for it anyways but couldn't stretch far enough without hurting herself. Frustrated with herself she huffed. A thought struck her and she checked that no one was nearby and stared hard at the goblet.

"_Risan_." She whispered, the words of power turning her eyes gold for a moment, and the goblet floated towards her good hand. Proud of herself, she was just about to take a sip when the clatter of silverware echoed outside her slightly open door. Whirling her head in the direction of the noise, she caught a glimpse of a blue shirt and red scarf as the person in them scampered off.

Weeks passed since that incident and whilst her arm had fully healed, her leg showed no sign of improvement. Gaius had even warned her that she may never walk again. The news had silently shattered her world as she thought of all things that she would no longer be able to and she related them to Merlin as he sat by her bedside.

"I won't be able to horse ride, or dance." She said wistfully as she saw herself spinning around a room with her partner in blissful partnership. "And I'll never be able to find my father." This last part was barely a whisper as the reality of it hit her.

"You don't know that." He said distantly. He had been this way ever since she knew he had witnessed her use magic. She honestly didn't know why he hadn't reported her to the king yet. Not that she wasn't grateful to him, but she had illegally used magic in Uther's own home. For all Merlin knew, this could be a ruse to get closer to the king in order to kill him for his crimes, which in itself was a tempting thought.

She laughed mirthlessly. "Oh I do. I am lost in a foreign kingdom with no hope of ever seeing my family and friends again." The thought saddened her and Merlin embraced her as she cried into his shoulder again.

"You never know, maybe a miracle will happen."

Mairead laughed again. "What have I ever done to deserve a miracle." She said spitefully. "I doubt even the strongest of magic would be able to save me now." She said with a side-long glance at Merlin's reaction, hoping her comment would prompt him to reveal what he knew.

But instead he nodded and left in a hurry with the excuse that he still had to polish Arthur's armour. But Mairead was no fool. Arthur may be very hard on the boy but she doubted he would make him repeat the same task that he had only finished the day before.

She sighed and rested her head on the plump pillow, glancing sorrowfully at her lame leg. In vain she tried to move it, but the bones were so heavily misaligned that she couldn't even wiggle her toes. She continued to try for the remainder of the day, refusing to admit that she may never be able to use her leg again. Becoming more and more frustrated as she tried and failed, her body grew tired and she felt the need for sleep and only then did she give up and cry into the night.

The first thing she tried the next morning was to move her leg. She strained until sweat ran down her forehead and her breath changed into pants. But she was rewarded for her efforts as on her final push, her toes curled. She stared in disbelief as she clenched and unclenched her toes. And then she laughed with complete and utter joy as all of her doubt was erased. She could move! It was a miracle after all.

Gaius found her like this, laughing till there was no breath to laugh with, as he arrived with her morning potion. "What on earth has gotten into you my dear?" He asked, though he too laughed along with her as her delight infected him.

And so she demonstrated for him, displaying the full movement of her toes like a proud parent would show off their child's latest achievement. Gaius too seemed to be at loss as to how this was possible and called for Merlin.

It was early in the morning and yet Merlin seemed more tired than ever as he dragged his feet into her room and yawned, asking what was the matter. Gaius told him what had transpired and he too seemed to be quite shocked though his next comment aroused Mairead's suspicions.

"I suppose miracles really do happen." He told her with a tired smile.

Mairead nodded. "I suppose so."

Gaius then left to tell the king the happy news, leaving Merlin and Mairead alone together. Watching him suspiciously, she finally decided that it had been long enough.

"You know don't you?" She said matter-of-factly.

"Sorry?" He replied innocently but no where near convincingly enough.

"I'm not stupid Merlin. You saw what I did to the goblet and I suppose you also know what I did to the document I gave Uther." She continued to stare at him, making him squirm under her gaze.

"Yes." He nodded.

"And you were the one that fixed my leg." For the first time, he stared back looking deeply shocked which only served to confirm her suspicions. "Don't look at me like that. Like I said I'm not stupid. It was far too much of a coincidence that the day after I'm told that I'll never be able to walk again I regain full mobility of my leg."

Still he remained silent and only nodded. Mairead was unsure whether this was because of the amount of energy it had taken to cast such a spell or whether he was just avoiding her.

"You took a great risk you know. For all you know this could all be part of my plan. Gain the trust of those closest to him and then murder the king in his sleep in retaliation of all that he's done to us."

He shook his head and laughed at how absurd she made it sound. "You're not like that." He said softly.

Mairead stared at him tenderly, deeply touched by his words. He barely knew her and yet he was willing to trust his king's life on her words. No one had ever really said such a thing to her before and she was forever grateful for this new chance at life. She reached over and laid her hand on his arm whilst looking deep into his eyes.

"Thank you."


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Sorry you had to wait a little longer than a week for this chapter. My mock exams are coming up and I've been busy revising. And I hope you guys are in for the long haul because, even though it's a Gwain/OC story, it's going to be a while before he even shows up and even when he does there are going to be some...complications...one of which becomes evident in this chapter. As always, please read and review.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing apart from the obvious.  
**

Chapter 3:

By the end of the week, the magic had truly done its work and Mairead was able to walk unassisted. Overjoyed by this, she forgot all of her troubles and spent almost all of her time in the company of Merlin who she had bonded with due to their shared secret. When this was not possible she either bantered with Gaius or spoke with Gwen whom she had also grown close to.

In celebration of her full recovery, Uther had ordered a ball to be held in her honour where they would drink to her health. Usually she would be excited at such a prospect but on this particular occasion she was dreading it. She had no idea what the customs were at a ball of Camelot and was unsure what to wear, how to speak to people or even how to dance. Luckily, for the first problem she had Gwen's help in getting her prepared.

Gwen was in the process of admiring her hair and deciding how to style it.

"You have beautiful hair my lady." Gwen said longingly as she ran a brush through it.

Mairead smiled her thanks. She was very proud of her hair and it was the only part of her appearance that she particularly prized. It was a glorious red colour and had a natural wave to it that made it seem elegant and yet untamed at the same time. She knew that her hair turned quite a few heads in Camelot but also knew that if it wasn't for her hair she would be considered quite plain. Red was quite a common hair colour back home and she never received a second glance there.

Gwen continued to work on shaping her hair whilst she continually adjusted the dress she was wearing. It was much tighter than what she was used to as where she was from dresses were very loose and flowing to allow maximum movement for dancing. How she was expected to dance in this dress, she didn't know.

Someone knocked on the door and Mairead shouted for them to come in. Merlin poked his head through the doorway and grinned when he saw her. She smiled back through the reflection in the mirror and gestured for him to come in.

"Are you nearly ready?" He asked.

She shrugged. "I don't know. Am I nearly ready Gwen?"

"You would have been ready a lot sooner if it wasn't for your squirming." Gwen replied in a sing-song voice, jabbing a pin forcefully in her hair to accentuate her point.

Mairead jumped and made to move Gwen's hands away from her poor head but she laughed and stepped away.

"Yes you're done." Gwen announced, looking over her with a sense of accomplishment.

"Finally." Merlin moaned, though his smile told them that he wasn't really mad at them. He offered his hand to Mairead in an elaborate and over the top motion. Mairead giggled and accepted his hand whilst curtseying so low that her knees nearly touched the floor.

"My lady." He said in a pompous and noble tone.

"My lord." She replied in a similar manner. And so the two said goodbye to Gwen and walked towards the ball, arm in arm.

She felt so uncomfortable, just stood in a corner watching couples dance around the hall. After the king had made his announcements the floor had been opened for dancing. As much as Mairead loved to dance back home, and indeed she was considered to be very good at it, the style of dancing here was so different. There was no skipping arm in arm and intricate footwork as the pairs swapped partners every musical phrase. Instead, the pairs merely moved around the floor and if a man was feeling particularly adventurous, he may add in a spin. It all seemed so stiff and formal and Mairead didn't know how to duplicate the movements if she was asked to dance. So she merely shrank into the shadows and avoided making eye contact with anyone.

"Enjoying yourself Mai?"

The voice made her jump even though she knew who the voice belonged to from the term of endearment that it used. Only one man called her Mai.

"Hello Merlin." She greeted him with a smile and saw that he was carrying a tray of wine.

"Would my lady like a drink?" He offered, bowing whilst still balancing the tray perfectly.

"I see that Arthur has trained you well." She joked, gratefully accepting a glass and almost drinking its entire contents in one gulp.

He raised an eyebrow at this. "Not having fun at your own party?" He gasped. "And from what you've told me abut your parties in Ceylon I'm disappointed."

She smiled wistfully. "These parties are nothing like those back in Ceylon. Back in Ceylon wine was followed heartily by laughter and almost everyone would dance at once. People would sing and magic would only make the evening even more impressive." Then she frowned. "This is nothing like Ceylon. I don't even know how to dance like that. It seems so boring." She said, gesturing to the couples on the dance floor.

"Oh cheer up Mai." He said, nudging her playfully. "You never know do you." At which point he was called away by Arthur who had a job for him to complete.

After issuing Merlin with another menial task (he did not seem very impressed about this), Arthur approached Mairead.

"It is good to see that you are well my lady." He noted and bowed.

Mairead curtseyed in return. "I feel much better know sire. My full thanks go to Gaius for my miraculous recovery." At this she nearly chortled, knowing full well that it was not Gaius who her thanks were due to.

Arthur nodded and stood next to her whilst surveying the dancers. "Would you like to dance?" He offered, holding his hand out for her to take.

She knew she couldn't refuse him. He was the crown prince of Camelot; nobody refused him of anything. But she didn't know how to dance and dancing with the King Uther's son drew more attention to her than she wanted to in her situation. Still she smiled and respectfully declined.

His eyebrow raised in surprise. "May I ask why?"

Mairead smiled. "I don't how to dance." She informed him.

His eyebrow raised even higher and there was a twinkle in his eye that made her think that he wanted to laugh at her. "You don't know how to dance?" He repeated sceptically.

She rolled her eyes at his ignorance. "Well of course I know how to dance." She replied resentfully. "Just not the way you dance. We dance very differently in…Theredan." She almost kicked herself as she paused to remember which country she had told him she was from.

"Really?" He replied, giving no notice to her almost slip up. "Well I'll teach you then. It's not hard."

She hesitated, taking in the sight of his outstretched hand and the expression he was wearing. He seemed genuine enough; she could sense no trickery or cruelty in his smile. Taking a deep breath, she smiled courteously back and slipped her hand in his, allowing herself to be whisked on to the dance floor.

The duo took their place with the other couples and Arthur guided her hands to their correct positions. Embarrassed, she shyly glanced at everyone else to make sure that no one was overtly staring at her ignorance of this style of dance.

"Never mind everyone else." Arthur insisted, bringing her gaze back to him. Bashfully, she flashed him a quick smile and lowered her eyes to her feet which suddenly felt heavy and clumsy.

Mumbling the counts of three quiet enough for only Mairead to hear, the two journeyed across the floor. Though it didn't take her long to pick up the rhythm and steps, she continued to stare intently at her feet, not feeling confident enough to look away. With some coaxing from Arthur, she eventually looked straight into Arthur's eyes and was astonished by how blue and how kind his eyes seemed. It was hard to think of him being so harsh to Merlin.

As if even the thought of him had alerted him, Merlin dropped the pile of plates he'd been carrying in one great big crash. Arthur shook his head pitifully. Mairead only laughed and buried her head into Arthur's shoulder.

When she looked up, she stared straight back into Arthur's blue eyes. "You're very hard on him you know."

He avoided her gaze. "He can handle it."

"You're so sure?"

This encouraged him to look back at her and, for a moment, he seemed vaguely upset. "Why, does he talk about me?" He asked casually, yet again avoiding her stare.

"A little." She replied with a sly smile, being deliberately ambiguous. "But I think you care for him a lot more than you let on."

"Oh really?" He replied, his voice simply dripping with sarcasm.

"Really."

He chuckled and brushed the comment off but Mairead knew better. Arthur and Merlin were close enough to be considered brothers. There show of masculine pride and taunting was simply there strange way of showing that they cared.

Even after the first dance came to a conclusion, Arthur and Mairead stayed together for another dance and continued to talk of trivial things. Strangely enough, Mairead found that she quite liked him, something that she wasn't expecting in the least. Though he could be arrogant and a little vain and self-centred, he truly had the heart of a king and was courageous, caring and kind. Plus he was rather attractive, though she would never give him the satisfaction of him knowing this. She found a male's pride to be bloated enough as it was and she was rather partial to keeping her dignity as well. They laughed and seem to float around the floor in tandem and she found that she was quite sad when he had to leave. It was only proper for a man to dance two dances with a woman he wasn't married to in Camelot apparently. She'd blushed at the mention of marriage.

Rather flustered, she disappeared back into her corner and watched him ask another woman to dance. Her heart sank as she took in the woman's high cheekbones, long flowing hair and gorgeously fitted dress.

Merlin appeared at her side again, having been relieved of his serving duties (they didn't trust him to balance the serving trays again). He threw her a teasing grin.

"Getting close to the prince are we Mai?" He mocked.

She blushed and batted him away from her. "Oh shut up Merlin." She saw Arthur and the mystery woman dancing and lamented that she seemed to be as graceful as she was beautiful. The woman laughed and rested her head on Arthur's shoulder, catching Mairead's eye for a second. For a split second, she could have sworn that the woman had smirked superiorly at her before continuing her conversation with Arthur. "Who is the lady Arthur is dancing with?"

"Hm?" Merlin hadn't been paying attention but then followed Mairead's gaze. "Oh, that's the Lady Morgana."

The disdain in his voice wasn't missed by Mairead. "You don't like her?"

"Do you?"

"No." Really Mairead shouldn't have answered as she did. She hadn't even spoken to the woman but the way she kept glancing back at her and the way she clutched onto Arthur made her vision redden. And that name…

"Good." Merlin nodded in approval. "I don't like her either."

"Oh really?" She feigned surprise whilst keeping her eyes on the couple. "Why don't you like her?"

Merlin glanced around nervously. "I'll tell you later."

"Why not now?"

"It isn't safe here."

Mairead nodded though she wasn't really paying attention. "Did you know that Morgana is a variation of the name Morrigan? Do you know what the name Morrigan means Merlin?" She didn't give him the chance to answer. "Morrigan is the name of the war goddess in my kingdom. She was a ruthless witch with no regard for human life and a tongue that was even sharper than her sword. Nothing good has ever come from a person named that."

"Are you sure that you're not just jealous?" Merlin teased.

Her head whipped to the side to meet his smiling eyes with a fierce glare, but she could also feel her cheeks warm. "Names are power Merlin. Remember that. Parents back from where I live name their child specifically to affect the person they will grow to be."

"So some people purposely name their daughter after a war goddess?" Merlin asked disbelievingly.

Mairead shrugged. "Not all parents love their children and some simply don't believe it."

Merlin nodded. "So…what does your name mean?"

She sighed. "My name mean "pearl" in the ancient language." She laughed though their was no joy in it. "What my parents wanted me to be when I grew up is beyond me." She cast her head downwards. "I never thought to ask them."

"Hey now." Merlin soothed as he wrapped one arm around her shoulder, seeing the tears that threatened to fall. "Maybe…well pearls are found in the sea, right? In those shell things? You have to open that shell to get to the beautiful pearl inside. Maybe that's what your parents meant."

"Interesting interpretation." Mairead chuckled, leaning gratefully into his side. "You know for a second there, I almost mistook you for wise."

Merlin gasped dramatically and withdrew his arm to shove her jokingly. "And for a moment there I almost mistook you for nice." He retorted, drawing her back into an hug.

In the corner, where no one could see them, they stayed like that, the only sound being their light breathing and soft heartbeats.

"So…you like Arthur?"

"Shut up Merlin."


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: DUN, DUN, DUN! It's mock exam week next week! Hopefully I'll do okay; I've been revising almost every spare second I have. Wish me luck! And sorry but this chapter's a bit shorter than the others.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing but the obvious.  
**

Chapter 4

She did not like Arthur. Regardless of what Merlin said, she did not like Arthur. Of course she thought he was handsome, you'd have to blind to think otherwise. But actually liking someone was different. You had to like them as a person as well and Mairead didn't know Arthur well enough to even entertain the idea. She laughed silently to herself whilst sat at her dressing table. If Dierdre could see her now, she probably wouldn't recognise her. She doubted she would even recognise herself from what she used to be.

Standing from her desk, she crossed her arms to help ward out the cold and stood by the window, taking in the sights before her. Of all the kingdoms in the world, the Gods had chosen to place her in this one. Usually she was not one to question such higher beings but she couldn't help but wonder. Had she angered them in some way, persuading them to punish her with the loss of her father and unfamiliar, and potentially hostile, surroundings? Was there some sort of lesson to be learned? She admitted to living quite liberally in Ceylon but she couldn't recall ever doing anything truly horrid. She sighed. Camelot was just so different. Here she was fenced in by great stone walls and there was barely ever a reason for laughter. She longed for the call of nature, to dance with the nymphs and drink as much as any man without any questions asked. But what she needed now was to stop thinking so pessimistically.

She surveyed the town below her and saw the familiar red scarf around the neck of Merlin. He emerged from the direction of the stables and was walking into town with two huge buckets. Her eyes locked onto the stables and she thought of Aideen. As far as she knew she hadn't been ridden in weeks. She bit her lip in thought. It might do her good to see her again.

Now inside the stables, she walked along the rows in the hope that the next one would be her prized bay. Finding her at last, she immediately felt brighter and stroked her mare's neck. Aideen nudged her affectionately, prompting a small laugh from Mairead. Aideen took this as a sign to continue and began to nudge her harder and harder until eventually she stumbled. A strong pair of arms were prepared to catch her though.

Looking up, she saw a face that also brightened her day. "Sire!" She greeted him happily.

"Lady Mairead." Arthur addressed her, helping her back onto her feet. He stepped forward to stroke the other side of Aideen's neck. But craftily, Aideen bumped him with her nose and hid behind Mairead. "Is she yours then?" Arthur queried, almost amused by Aideen's shyness.

"Yes." She replied, running her hand along her shining coat. "She's usually not this shy." She explained, trying to coax her out from behind her.

"I know." Arthur said intentionally.

Mairead's eyebrow raised. "Do you? Has she been causing you any trouble?"

"No." He shook his head, rubbing the back of his neck. "But she's very…spirited."

Mairead smiled knowingly. "That she is."

There was an awkward silence as they both tried to think of something else to say. Arthur was the one to break the silence.

"Are you planning on going for a ride?" He asked.

"Yes, hopefully." She replied, grateful that he had thought of something to say because her mind had drawn a complete blank.

Another awkward silence followed.

"Would you like some company?" He offered.

"Yes!" She replied and then scolded herself for seeming so eager and hoped that he wouldn't notice.

He didn't seem to and carried on talking. "After all, I can't allow a maiden such as yourself to wander the woods unaccompanied." And ended with what she thought was a rather rouge-ish grin.

She laughed merrily at the thought of her needing protection in a place such as the woods, a place where she felt more at home than she did there. "Oh Arthur. If only you knew."

It felt more than good to be back at the reins of Aideen again. And though she was loath to admit it, the man riding beside her only served to make it even better. He had turned out to be rather brilliant company and the two joked as if they'd known each other for years. They asked each other questions about each other, which did sometimes turn out awkward if he asked her about her home, but otherwise it was very pleasant. Aideen reacted to every slight touch as if they'd never been separated and she was admiring her own horse whilst they were riding back to Camelot.

She breathed in the crisp air; cold but fresh. If she closed her eyes, she could swear that she was back in Ceylon and that a nymph or fairy would giggle and tap on her shoulder at any moment. A wave of sadness engulfed her as she thought this way.

"Are you alright?" Arthur asked, noticing her sudden change in mood.

She shook herself out of her thoughts and looked at him. He really was a noble man. Camelot would be all the better with him at the throne. "Yes, I'm fine." She assured him with an unconvincing smile.

Eager to distract him, she nudged Aideen with the side of her foot to urge her into a gallop. "I'll race you back!"

Panting in excitement, Mairead and Arthur slowed their horses to a slow trot to guide them back to the stables. It had been a thrilling chase that had completely erased all of the negative thoughts from her mind. Plus, Arthur had seemed quite impressed by her horse riding skills which enlarged her pride and stroked her vanity a little.

"I quite enjoyed that." She remarked, as she dismounted Aideen.

Arthur nodded and grinned at her.

"Yeah, we should do it again sometime." Her heart trilled at the suggestion. "And next time I won't let you win." He said with an arrogant grin and slightly mischievous glint in his eye.

At this she scoffed. "I'm going to let you believe that."

He laughed, patted her on the arm and then said goodbye. She watched him leave, not noticing the incessant smile on her face. Seeing Merlin appear in the corner of her vision she turned her eyes to him and smiled in greeting. He merely grinned back and looked between Arthur's back and her, slowly and deliberately. She would have scolded him, but it would have been quite unfair.

Because Mairead, Lady of Ceylon, was absolutely smitten with the Prince of Camelot.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Whoo! Mock exams are finally over! Now it's time to kick back and relax and give you another chapter! The chapter after this we get past the entire "introduction" stage of Mai getting used to Camelot and get to some actual plot development (ish)! As always, please read and review.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing apart from the obvious.  
**

Chapter 5

Mairead was sat at a small wooden table, chatting with Merlin on one of his rare days off while Gaius tidied up his work space. Merlin was entertaining her with trivial uses of magic, conjuring flowers and manipulating the fire in the fire place.

"Come on then, what can you do?" He asked.

She laughed, though it was an empty laugh; really it was only forcibly pushed out air. "Not a lot. I don't have the same kind of natural talent that you have." She explained.

"I thought that they taught you how to do magic in Ceylon?" He inquired, puzzled that after having so many years of lessons, she wouldn't have more knowledge than he did.

"They do." She shrugged. "I was just never particularly good at it so I found the lessons quite boring. I didn't pay much attention to them. I never was a very patient person." She bemoaned, resting her chin on her hand.

"But surely you've got some tricks up your sleeve." Merlin taunted.

She smiled and shook her head. "It's nothing worth showing you. I can only do basic summoning, fixing and manipulation spells. I can't realign all the bones in someone's leg without breaking a sweat." She smirked and looked pointedly at him.

"Yeah but I'm amazing."

She scoffed. "Oh are you now?" She asked with a raised eyebrow.

Merlin nodded and pretended to brush some dust off his shoulder in a very pompous manner. The pair giggled and shoved each other light-heartedly. Unfortunately, their discussion had also caught Gaius's attention and he had stopped his sweeping to stare at her with interest. He too was curious about her abilities.

Seeing the interested light in his eyes, Mairead rolled her eyes. "Alright." She sighed. "What do you want me to do?"

Searching for inspiration, Merlin searched around, hoping to find an object that would catch his interest. His eyes locked on a bucket in the corner. Smiling back at Mairead, he collected the bucket from the side of the room and placed it in front of her.

"Can you fill it with water?" He asked excitedly. He didn't know anyone else who could do the same things that he could. Or at least, a relatively kind and friendly person who could do the same things he could and he was also eager to see what the Ceylonians taught them.

Mairead pretended that what he was asking her to do was an easy task, and although it was, she was nervous as to what he would ask her to next. It was true that the Ceylonians were naturals at magic and passed on their ancient secrets to the next generation, indeed Ceylon was considered the birth place of magic that churned out the greatest sorcerers of the age almost daily. But Mairead wasn't one of them. Now she wished that she'd paid more attention in her lessons instead of giving up so easily, if only so that she wouldn't disappoint Merlin. He seemed so happy to have someone else to discuss magic with, but the truth was that he probably knew more than her.

Still, she gathered herself together and thought of the word that would give Merlin what he wished to see. Luckily, it was a simple one and easy to remember.

"_Brim._" Her eyes flashed gold for a moment and then water materialised in the bottom of the bucket. She let out a sigh of relief. Even though the spell was simple, she had doubted her ability to perform under such pressure.

Melrin gazed at the water in the bucket like it was a treasure trove of jewels. His eyes lit up and he laughed, almost in disbelief.

Her heart warmed as she saw his face. At least she had lived up to one of his expectations.

He finally looked back up, his eyes twinkling. "What else can you do?"

It was the question she had been dreading with a very simple answer. Not much. But she still smiled and answered politely. "What else do you want me to do?"

"Can you do what I did with the fire?" He asked, referring to his manipulation of the fire into a dragon.

Her smile dropped. She wasn't sure if she could manage something that grand. Not only would she have to find the right words but she would have to implement them properly. She cursed herself for not paying more attention when Merlin was demonstrating his skills. She could have borrowed some of the words he had used and simply exchange the word for "fire" with the word for "water". Or at least, she thought that's what she could have done.

Struggling to find the words to do the job, she stringed together the words she knew that seemed to be right and muttered them insecurely. "_Risen brim ond becyme a wrym._" Her eyes turned gold and she hoped that she'd chosen the right words. Nothing happened. Her cheeks flushed red, ashamed that she couldn't live up to Merlin's wishes.

"I'm sorry Merlin. I told you that I wasn't very good." She fumbled with her hands in her lap, not wanting to look at him. She tried to laugh to break the tension but failed. No one said anything. She couldn't bear the silence and looked up to see Merlin's face. He smiled, though she could tell he felt let down.

"Hey it's okay." He assured her with a strained smile. "Look, I'll teach you." His smile turned brighter at the prospect.

"Are you sure?" She asked cautiously, though she was excited at the idea too. "You'll have your work cut out for you."

"I don't mind."

Mairead smiled. It was going to be hard work. Her inattention would cost her dearly but she was much more prepared to learn this time around. And who was better to teach her than her best friend?

"Okay."

Merlin turned out to be a fantastic teacher and she was able to conjure a dragon made of water within the hour. The two were laughing as his fire dragon and her water dragon entwined and danced around each other. Together, they spent most of the morning performing magic. Gaius too was enjoying the display though every now and again he would warn them to quieten down for fear that anyone could walk in at any moment. Nodding obediently, they would enjoy their show silently though it was never long before the room was filled raucous laughter again. They were having far too much fun.

"Merlin!"

The pair jumped and immediately let their dragons crash back into their respective elements. Turning around in fear, they saw Arthur stood in the door, rubbing his eyes and looking down at the floor. They held their breath apprehensively, praying to the Gods that he hadn't seen anything.

He didn't seem to have noticed and each of them sighed audibly in relief. Arthur looked up and almost recoiled in shock at seeing Mairead there. She didn't remember any reason why he should be surprised; she'd told him of her close relationship with Merlin.

"Mairead."

She nodded in return to his remark and shyly smiled. Then she cursed herself for being such a little girl. So she might like him…just a little bit. There was no reason for her to be so obvious about it. At this rate he was going to find out by the end of the week.

Completely oblivious to her emotional turmoil, Arthur stared instead at Merlin, holding up the armour from a few days before. As Mairead recalled, he had spent hours polishing that armour to the high standard that Arthur had insisted upon.

"What do you call this?" He demanded, throwing the armour at his feet.

Mairead and Merlin shared a look and examined the armour. She could almost feel all sense of joy leave his body as he took in the sight. It was completely coated in dirt and grime, the once gleaming metal tarnished. She gave him a look of sympathy and patted his shoulder.

"Um…really dirty armour?" Merlin replied with an almost painful smile of hope. But it was pointless because his hopes were just about to be dashed.

"Yes, well done clotpole." Arthur said, sarcastically clapping his hands in mock applause. "Now what do you think you should about that?"

Merlin stared hard at the armour and shook his head slowly, thinking hard. "Get someone else to clean it because I'm enjoying a day off with Mai?" He asked optimistically.

"Mai?" He questioned, looking back at her. She could feel her cheeks warm under his gaze. He seemed surprised that they were so close as to use nicknames. Refusing to break the eye contact to at least make it seem as though even one look from him couldn't reduce her to a puddle, Mairead forced her cheeks to regain their normal colour. Arthur broke the stare and glanced back at Merlin. "And no. You're going to do it."

"And why would I do that?" Merlin challenged.

"Because if you don't, you will spend the rest of the week scrubbing every inch of my chambers and will be on horse dung duty." He said, crossing his arms across his chest with a smug smile.

Merlin looked at Mairead for help but she merely shrugged and giggled. Very laboriously, he rose from his chair and scooped up the armour from the floor. With one last look at the pair, flashing a sly grin Mairead's way, he left.

After Merlin's departure, the two simply smiled at each other.

"So…Mai, huh?" Arthur asked casually.

Mairead looked up. He almost seemed…jealous. But did that mean that he liked her too? He couldn't…could he? Was it too much to hope? She mentally huffed. Why did men have to be so confusing?

"Um, Mairead?" He questioned, looking her in the eyes with concern.

She blushed at the direct eye contact and realised that she hadn't answered him. "Yes, Mai. It's what my friends call me." And then, from under her eyelashes, she glanced at him shyly. "You could call me Mai too, if you wanted."

There was a moment where she thought he would refuse and scold her for being so familiar with him, but then he grinned and she was reassured of their friendship. "Alright then, Mai."

She smiled and found that she quite liked the way her name sounded when he said it.

"Well I should be going. I'll see you later Mai." The two grinned at each other and then Arthur left the same way Merlin had.

The smile remained on her face a good while afterwards. She was so happy that the grin was beginning to hurt her cheeks. She turned around to face away from the door and almost did a little jump for joy but instead caught Gaius's eye. He raised an eyebrow and looked at her knowingly.

"Oh not you too." She groaned.

He only chuckled.


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Wow. This chapter took so many attempts to write. I must have started it at least a dozen times and I'm still not happy with how it turned out but it's certainly a damn sight better than it was when I began. So here you go! A chapter that actually holds some beginnings of a plot.**

**Disclaimer: I'm getting really tired of saying this...I own nothing.  
**

Chapter 6:

Mairead was in a good mood. No, more than that; she was in a great mood. The sky was clear with nothing but a slight breeze to freshen the air. It was as if even the Gods themselves were smiling. She was walking up and down the streets of Camelot browsing the wares. The amount of differences between Ceylon and Camelot astounded her, though by now she should have expected nothing less. The two were not only an ocean but an entire world apart. In Ceylon, there was much more of a market for musical instruments, clothing and wine than in Camelot. It fascinated her and she took great pleasure in leisurely strolling along the stalls.

Whilst walking around a corner, she caught sight of Gwen with a basket at a vegetable stall. Approaching her with a smile, she caught her eye. Gwen returned the smile.

"Hello Gwen." She greeted cheerfully.

Gwen smiled but raised an eyebrow. "You seem to be in a good mood."

Mairead grinned. "Why shouldn't I be? It's a lovely day and I personally feel wonderful."

"Well that's good to hear my lady."

Mairead placed her hands on her hips and gave her a reprimanding look. "What have I told you about calling me that? Call me Mairead. Especially since we're not in the castle now." Gwen giggled but didn't say anything. "Do you mind if I join you?" She asked.

"Not at all." Gwen replied, gesturing to the space next to her.

The two girls continued shopping and laughing about their shared stories. Mairead helped her carry certain items but also continued to leaf through the different stands. One clothing booth particularly caught her eye. The owner had such a variety of intricate clothing designs that she felt like a little girl again. They "oohed" and "aahed" over the soft materials and spent a good long while stood there. Then, she caught sight of one particular item and she could feel herself begin to choke up. Slowly, she reached for the article of clothing and stroked it fondly.

"Where did you get this?" She whispered.

The stall owner stepped forward and upon seeing the item in her hands smiled. "Ah, that is a beautiful piece. Just bought it the other day from a travelling merchant. Such amazing embroidery and material like that I have never seen." He explained proudly.

Mairead never took her eyes off tunic. "Do you know where the merchant got it from." She asked, an almost desperate tone to her voice.

He shrugged. "From another merchant I assume. It took a lot to persuade him to part with it. Can't blame him though. It's a beautiful piece of work."

As if in a trance, she traced the design and her eyes began to water. "So you have no idea where he got it from?"

"Afraid not."

Afraid that if she spoke too loud, she may cry she whispered: "How much do you want for it?"

"Um…my…my lady?" He inquired, an entirely shocked look upon his face.

"How much do you want for it?" She repeated more forcefully.

"For you my lady?" He replied, stumbling on his words. "Only twenty gold."

Nodding, she stooped to unwrap the pouch at her waist and dropped the hefty amount into the seller's hands.

"Keep the change." She muttered and rushed away, leaving Gwen behind. She didn't want her to see her like this; not in such a public space.

So she ran.

Looking back it was such a stupid thing to do, but it had seemed like the only logical decision at the time. She ran as far as her long legs would carry her; back down the maze of shops into the safety of the castle. In any other situation she would have laughed at the irony but all she felt like doing now was crying into the fabric she cradled. She rounded a corner and slid down the wall. His scent still coated the material and she buried her face into the tunic. Mournful tears fell from her eyes as she curled into a tight ball, clinging onto the clothing with all of her might.

Her cries had attracted attention and footsteps could be heard from down the corridor. She held her breath. Those footsteps could belong to anyone and she didn't have the time to escape. But at the same time, she didn't want anyone to see her in such a pitiful state.

"Mai?"

She released her breath and threw her arms around her fellow sorcerer, the tunic now wedged between them. Weeping into his shoulder, Merlin rubbed soothing circles on her back and whispered encouraging words in her ear. He simply allowed her sob until she had run dry. Then, he gripped her shoulder tightly and stared deep into her bloodshot eyes.

"Mai, what's happened?" He asked softly, brushing a wet strand of hair behind her ear.

For a moment, she felt the pull of tears in her eyes but was unable to produce any. "It's his Merlin." She said simply, holding the tunic out for him to see.

He ran a hand along the material. "Whose?"

She opened her mouth to reply but the only sound she could make was a strangled gasp. Eventually finding her voice, she choked out: "M…my father's."

A look of realisation washed over Merlin's face and he pulled her close and engulfed her in his arms. He rocked her back and forth until her cries were reduced to small sniffles and she finally calmed down.

"Are you absolutely sure it's his?" He asked carefully, afraid she may lash out.

She nodded resolutely. "It's his." She replied firmly.

He sighed and nodded. There was silence as each digested the impact of this information.

"Merlin?" Mairead whispered. "What do I do?" She asked, almost desperately.

He paused, hesitant to give her an answer. But he decided that it was better he say it now rather than letter. "You're going to have to tell Uther."

Mairead's head snapped up and she fixed him with a gaze so fierce that Merlin almost gasped. Her eyes spoke of a fury and stubbornness almost unimaginable. "No."

"Well what else are you going to do?" He challenged her. "Uther seems to like you…or at least tolerate you. He can help."

"No." She repeated. "Can't you do some kind of spell and find him?"

Merlin's heart almost broke as her eyes changed from angered to distressed with a small flash of hope. He couldn't give her what he wanted; he didn't know how. "I'm sorry Mai. I don't know a spell like that."

Her hope shattered and the light in her eyes died. She nodded and stroked the fabric in her hands forlornly. Merlin rested a hand on her arm.

"Just talk to him. He can't just say no in front of his entire court. How would that make him look?" He reassured her.

The hope in her eyes returned briefly and she nodded with a sad smile.

* * *

She had never felt more vulnerable in her entire life. Dressed in her best (an emerald gown that acted like a shield), she stood at the foot of the throne; Uther sat with the crown of Camelot and his loyal son at his side. She fidgeted with the sleeves of her dress and stared into the eyes of the man she hated most in the entire world and begged him with her eyes. Her life was in his hands. Without her father, she had no life. It was because of her father that she did anything other than lounge around in the riches she was born into He brought her up to be a much better person than that and she refused to leave Camelot without him by her side.

Uther leant forward and assessed her state. "And you are absolutely certain that this tunic belonged to your father?" He asked disbelievingly. A strike of anger hit her core but she subdued it and nodded.

"More sure than I have ever been of anything in my entire life."

Uther sighed and gestured with his hand carelessly. "Very well. And what do you propose we do about this?"

Mairead was lost for words. Personally, she thought that the answer was quite obvious. "Please sire, my father could still be out there. I only ask that we try and find him if only once more." She begged. For a split second, her eyes met Arthur's. He radiated sympathy and smiled at her encouragingly. She immediately dropped her eyes to the floor.

Uther laughed, a booming sound that seemed to fill the entire hall. "With what resources? My knights are busy trying to prevent a war."

Mairead was all too aware of the rising tensions between Camelot and the neighbouring kingdom of Ferelden and knew that she was asking for a lot, but actually hearing her proposal rejected was different.

Noticing the distressed look on Mairead's face, Arthur stepped forward to address his father. "Father, I'm sure that I could gather a few knights to help search for Lady Mairead's father." Seeing the sceptical look on his father he added, "It won't take long."

Glancing between the grief stricken Mairead and his son, Uther sighed and reluctantly agreed. Mairead's face broke into a smile and her eyes began to water again, this time of gratefulness. The hall was then a bustle of noise and activity as orders were given and carried out. Mairead stood in the same position in the centre of the room and searched for Arthur, who seemed to be at the root of the commands. Meaningfully meeting his eyes, the two shared a smile and Mairead mouthed two words that could never hope to portray her gratitude but she thought needed to be said:

_Thank you._


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: ...I got my mock exam results on Tuesday...I'm absolutely peeing myself. I've spent so much time worrying about my results that I almost forgot to upload this chapter but thankfully I remebered. So here's another chapter in which the plot thickens ever so slightly and thenext chapter will be filled with quite a bit of backstory about our dear Mariead. So I hope you enjoy! Read and review please!**

**Dsiclaimer: I own nothing...apart from the obvious...blah, blah, blah...  
**

Chapter 7:

Mairead hadn't spoken to anyone in days. All she did was sit at the desk in her room with every map she could find in the library in front of her. Whenever news reached her of the location of her father, she would mark the point on a map and try to draw all possible routes that could be taken from their. It was a fruitless investigation. Arthur and his men had searched for days and whenever they seemed to get close it would turn out to be a dead end or Uther would withdraw them in preparation for the potential war between Camelot and Fereldan. Eventually, Uther had declared the mission a failure and withdrawn them from the search. Since that decision had been made, Mairead hadn't spoken to anyone, preferring the solace of her room to the piteous looks everyone gave her. Merlin, Gaius and Gwen still visited her occasionally but even they couldn't coax her out of her silence. She couldn't bring herself to give up. If she did, even for a minute, it felt like she was betraying him; like she'd let him down. So she trekked onwards.

Exactly a week later, Merlin entered her chambers in one last attempt to persuade her to go out. He almost gasped at the sight of her. Her glorious red hair seemed to have lost its life and hung limply in front of her face, her pale skin seemed drained and sallow and when she turned to face him he could see her blank eyes and the purple shadows that brushed underneath them. She looked like a corpse that had all the life sucked from it.

Worried for her health, he approached her and gingerly rested a hand on her arm. "Mai, come on. Don't you think you've sat here long enough?"

"He's out there Merlin." She whispered breathlessly. "I know he is."

Merlin hesitated. She seemed so sure that he was still alive and he just didn't have the heart to tell her that he could already be dead. So instead he wrapped his arms around her and let her silently cry into his shoulder. He paused again, thinking carefully about what to say.

"Well," He began. "If he is alive…"

"He is."

"Then do you really think he'd want to see you in this state?" He finished, ignoring her interruption.

For a moment, Mairead said and did nothing. Then, she slowly shook her head.

"Do you think you might like to go outside then?"

Another pause and a nod.

Merlin smiled warmly and gently took her arm to lead her out of the room.

Mairead cast a long look over her shoulder back at all of her work. That work had absorbed an entire week of her life. Now that she thought about what Merlin had said, he was right. Her father would never have wanted to reduce her to this. Her face flushed with shame and she looked downwards so that Merlin couldn't see. She didn't even want to know how she looked; they must have thought she had died, locked in that room for so long. Then she realised how much worry she must have caused her friends. They were the ones that had to put up with her for the past week and they had done so without any complaints. On the contrary, they had indulged her madness so as not to upset her and she was truly grateful for their thoughtfulness. She looked up at Merlin and smiled, giving him a friendly hug.

Slightly surprised, Merlin returned the embrace and, when he drew back, was greeted by Mairead's bright smile. It seemed to lighten her face and made her messy hair and pale complexion seem not so bad anymore. It had been a while since he'd seen her smile and was glad to see her happy again.

"What was that for?" He asked, referring to the sudden hug.

She smiled even wider. "For being such a great friend." She replied and then giggled, running down the corridor. "Now hurry up! I've got a weeks worth of fun to catch up on!"

* * *

Mairead couldn't recall the last time she had so much fun. The pair had spent the entire day racing around the castle like children and Merlin had taught her some interesting spells to experiment with. It had almost been like the last week had never happened.

Now the two were suitably tired, they chased each other back to her chambers. Feeling the rush of excitement, Mairead was far ahead of Melrin. She glanced behind her shoulder to see how far behind he was (nowhere in sight) and then rounded a corner without looking. She slammed straight into someone else and a pair of strong arms reached out to steady her. Flustered, she looked up to apologise and was met by two beautiful blue eyes.

"Arthur!" She exclaimed. For that, she wished she could be someone else. Someone who hadn't been caught running around like a child with her hair and face an absolute mess. "I'm so sorry!" She stuttered.

"It's alright Mai." He replied, though there was certain mischievous glint in his eye that told her that he wanted to laugh at her. "It's been a while since I've seen you."

Mairead nodded nervously. "Yes, I've been…busy."

"Well it's good to see you again." He said earnestly and Mairead blushed, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "I was actually looking for you."

She cocked an eyebrow in surprise. "Really? And why is that?"

"A friend of yours from Theredan has arrived. You could have told us that you were expecting a visitor."

Arthur grinned jokingly, but Mairead felt all of the blood drain from her face. A visitor? From Theredan? She didn't even know anyone from Therdean. Her stomach filled with dread as she realised that she had been caught. Her lie would be revealed and she would be executed without the chance to find her father. Tears pricked in the corner of her eye but she pushed them back and weakly smiled at Arthur.

"I wasn't expecting anyone actually." She said politely.

Arthur looked confused for a second. "Well there's someone here to see you."

* * *

Mairead walked towards the great hall with Arhtur, each step bringing her closer to seeing her mystery guest. Each step bringing her closer to her death, she thought grimly. They entered the hall together and, sure enough, there was a girl around Mairead's age stood talking to Uther with her back to them. The sight of the girl caused an alarm in her head. She looked oddly familiar and the dress was certainly of a Ceylonian style with long flowing sleeves and an empire waistline.

Arthur coughed to announce their arrival and the girl turned to face them. Mairead's eyes lit in joy and she stared at her in wonder.

"Deidre?" She questioned, doubtful that she was actually here.

"Mai!" Deidre replied joyfully and extended her arms to receive Mairead's hug.

"What are you doing here?" Mairead asked, the sound muffled against her friend's shoulder. The two withdrew and Mairead checked her over with her eyes. The same curly blonde hair, blue eyes and freckles; she was really here.

"We were worried about you! We haven't heard from you in weeks!"

"I've been…busy." Mairead answered cryptically, in the same manner she had replied to Arthur.

"Well you'll have to tell me all about it!" Deidre insisted with her trademark sly smile. She truly hadn't changed a bit; still the same gossip monger that she remembered. "Where's you father?"

At this, Mairead's face dropped and not without Deidre noticing. "Mairead?" She asked tentatively. "Where's Eamon?"

Mairead gave her a pained look and shook her head.

"You mean…?"

Arthur stepped forward to his friend's aid. "Mairead's father's whereabouts are currently unknown."

"Oh Mai flower." She sighed and gently hugged her again. "No wonder we haven't heard from you."

Arthur came to stand behind Mairead and placed a hand n her shoulder, offering his support but still looking at Deidre. "It's been a hard time for her." He explained. "But I have to ask, will you be staying long?"

Deidre nodded resolutely. "For as long as she needs me."

Arthur nodded in return. "Then we'll arrange for you to stay in one of our guest rooms." Then he turned to Mairead. "You know where to find me." He said, implying that she could come and talk to him whenever she wanted. He bowed before the two ladies and then left to speak with his father. Both girls watch him leave with an appreciative eye.

"So that's the prince of Camelot?" Deidre commented and then caught Mairead's eye with a playful smile. "You're going to have to tell me all about him."


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: ...I'm not sure whether I'm actually proud of this chapter or not. In some respects I think it's really good but then in others I think it's quite poorly written. Oh well, I've written and uploaded it anyways. Thank you everyone for your kind words! My mock exams results were amazing (seven A*, 4 A and a B baby!) and now I've just got all of my college interviews to go to. As always, read and review.**

**Disclaimer: You know how this goes by now.  
**

Chapter 8

"How did you know?"

Deirdre craned her head around to look at her from where she was sat at Mairead's vanity table with a devilish smile. "How did I know what?

"That I was here."

Deirdre sighed and shrugged. "Process of elimination really. We knew what route you and your father were taking so we just kind of followed it and asked around." Then, her face softened. "We were worried about you. We hadn't heard from you in weeks."

Mairead cast her gaze downwards. "I know. I'm sorry."

Smiling, her friend stood to place a hand on her shoulder. "Hey, it's not like you were difficult to find. As soon as we caught wind of a noble woman with glorious red hair in the courts of Camelot we headed straight here."

The red haired lady laughed softly. "True."

"But really, Mai; Camelot?"

"It's not like I had a choice." Mairead replied, defending herself. "They found me and I was obliged to stay."

"But do they know who you are?" Deirdre asked cautiously.

"Of course not!" Mairead scoffed. "I would like to delay my trip to the gallows for as long as possible thank you very much. As far as they are concerned, I am a noble woman from Thereden. And so long as you are here, so are you." Then, she eyed her friend purposely. "And that means no magic."

Deirdre gave her an offended look. "Of course not! We are in Camelot!"

"Yes, but I know what you're like." Mairead said accusingly, staring back at her friend with a raised eyebrow.

Deirdre blushed furiously. "That was one time!" She insisted.

"As I recall, it was several actually." Mairead smirked victoriously as her friends cheeks coloured in embarrassment.

"Oh shut up!" She exclaimed, and then her face brightened with a devilish smile. Deirdre pounced onto Mairead's bed and faced her with a mischievous twinkle in her eye at the prospect of turning the tide. "So, tell me about Arthur."

It was Mairead's turn to blush and avoid her friend's eyes. "What do you want to know?"

"Are the stories true? Is he is as noble and just as he is handsome?" She tanted relentlessly.

Mairead chuckled under her breath. "Merlin would disagree."

Deirdre sat up straight at the mention of a new name. "Who's Merlin?"

With a soft smile, Mairead turned to her friend. "My best friend here."

"Oh?" Deirdre questioned. "And what's he like."

Mairead laughed again. "You'll meet him soon enough."

Deirdre nodded in acceptance and then caught her with an accusing glare. "Now look what you've done! You've distracted me!"

Mairead raised an eyebrow and smiled innocently. "Distracted you from what Dei?"

"Stop avoiding the subject!" She whined; her chances of gaining any real gossip from Mairead were getting slimmer.

"Well I don't know what you're talking about."

At was at this point, Merlin chose to visit Mairead in her chambers. He'd been searching the whole castle for her during their little game of chase until it occurred to him that they were racing towards her chambers and that was were she probably was. Feeling slightly silly having wasted so much time, he knocked once on her door and then poked his around the doorway. He certainly wasn't expecting to see her sat laughing at a fuming young blonde woman that was sat on her bed.

"Um…hi Mai." He greeted with an unsure smile. "I'm not interrupting am I?"

She smiled kindly. "Not at all." The woman on her bed coughed and gestured towards Merlin. Mairead rolled her eyes and nodded. "Merlin, this is my good friend Deirdre. Deirdre, this is Merlin."

Deirdre smiled brightly and curtsied before him. Half in shock, he bowed stiffly in return; he wasn't used to people clearly of noble birth bowing for him. He eyed Mairead. "From…"

She nodded. "Ceylon."

Deirdre gasped dramatically and ran to grab her arm. "Mai! Are you an absolute fool? We're in Camelot! You just said…" And she continued to ramble on in panic.

Mairead grabbed her friends shoulders and shook her slightly, chuckling humorously. "Dei, he knows. Merlin is Arthur's servant and a sorcerer himself."

Deirdre paused. "A sorceror?"

Mairead nodded.

"…really?"

Merlin nodded and chanted a few words underneath her breath. A goblet sat by Mairead's bedside table flew into his hand. Deirdre squeaked and jumped out of the way of the goblet's path. Staring at him in wonder, she glanced between Merlin and Mairead. Then, her expression changed from confused to angry and she swatted Mairead's arm.

"You could have told me!" She protested.

Rubbing her pained arm, Mairead replied: "You didn't really allow me to get a word in."

"So?"

Melrin watched the exchange between the two Ceylonian ladies. Even though they appeared to be arguing, Mairead's face held a joy that he hadn't seen before and the two clearly cared for each other deeply. He smiled and sat down to watch them banter uselessly. After they appeared to have worn each other out, Merlin spoke.

"Not to seem rude, but why are you here?" He asked.

Mairead blinked. "Yes, actually, why are you here? Where you just sent to find me?"

Deirdre's face turned grim and she squirmed uncomfortably. "Not really…" When she realised that neither of them were going to speak until they received an answer, she sighed and began to speak. "Listen if it was up to me I wouldn't have to ask you this but I do."

Merlin felt Mairead shift beside him and saw her expression become serious. Some how, she must know what she was going to say. Deirdre continued reluctantly.

"Your father had an important job, Mai. It was his job to stop wars before they even happened; to negotiate with rivalling nations to come to some sort of agreement that didn't involve violence." Deirdre seemed to beg her with her eyes. "We are days away from war, Mai. Your father was supposed to travel to The Marches and deter them but they are becoming more and more aggressive. The Ceylonian people can only take so much before they demand blood. And with your father gone…"

"You want me to go in his place." Mairead finished, her head hung low in thought.

Deirdre gazed at her sympathetically. "Please Mai. You know I wouldn't ask you unless we were desperate."

She didn't answer. She thought of the implications of such a journey. The Marches were incredibly dangerous territory and she would have to travel under a Ceylonian banner with her father's documentation to stand any chance of even surviving the trip there. Plus, there would be all the planning that would have to go into it in order for the plan to actually work and she had no experience of ever having to do such things. For a moment, she felt guilty for not listening to her father's stories more, perhaps then she might have stood some sort of chance.

"I can't Deirdre." She whispered mournfully.

"Why not."

"What do you mean why not?" She answered furiously. "I've never done anything like this before! I'll be dead before the week's out and the deaths of all the people in Ceylon will be my responsibility!"

"But you stand a better chance than anyone else." Deirdre replied, strangely calm. "You know how secretive your father was about his methods. Surely he mentioned some of them to you?"

"Yes…maybe…I think so…" Mairead replied nervously, trying to remember snippets of the conversations she had held with her father.

"Please Mairead." Deirdre begged.

Mairead paused for more thought and then caught her friend's eye. She really did look desperate and everything she had said was true. She was really Ceylon's only chance of avoiding a full scale war. She sighed and then gave her answer. "Alright."

"Alright?" Deirdre repeated, half in shock that Mairead had actually agreed. To be perfectly honest, she thought she would have needed a great deal more persuasion, and that was if she agreed at all.

"Yes, alright. I'll do it." Mairead replied, snatching a piece of paper from out of her bedside drawer. Turning back to face her, she smiled sadly.

Deirdre gave her a strange look, one mixed with nostalgia and pride.

"What is it?"

Deirdre shook her head. "Nothing. It's just…you've really changed Mai." Mairead raised an eyebrow in question. "You just seem so much more…grown up and…mature. Because no offence, but I don't think the old you would have agreed to that."

Mairead smiled. "No, I suppose not."

Overcome with gratefulness, Deirdre strode across the room and enveloped her in a hug. "Thank you Mai."

They stayed in each others arms for a while, simply enjoying each other's presence and trying to convey all of their emotions into that one gesture.

Finally, Deirdre spoke. "I don't suppose I could convince you to come home after you're done?" She asked, the sound muffled against her friend's dress.

Mairead broke the hug reluctantly. "He could still be out there Dei." She replied gently. "And so long as that is a possibility, I can't just leave."

Deirdre nodded in understanding.

"So," Mairead began, clapping her hands together and facing Merlin (who had been strangely silent throughout their conversation), with a false smile. "I suppose I've got an expedition to prepare for."


End file.
